Unwelcome changes to MyCAA
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, a popular spouse education funding program, will resume Oct. 25, Defense Department officials announced July 20.
The program, known as MyCAA, had been halted temporarily in order to undergo a review after enrollment surges raised concerns about funding.
Excitement over the reinstatement has been tempered by concern surrounding some program changes. Under the old program, all spouses of active-duty service members could receive a $6,000 education benefit. Under the new program:
* Only spouses of active-duty service members and activated reservists in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 and W-2 and O-1 and O-2 are eligible.
* The maximum financial benefit is $4,000 for up to three years from the start date of the first class, with a $2,000 annual cap.
* The funds must be used for associate degrees, licensures or certifications.
According to the Defense Department, the changes bring MyCAA back to its original intent of assisting spouses of junior service members in achieving portable careers. They also better ensure the program’s fiscal health.
While many are glad to see the program sustained in any form, one concern is for those currently in the program who will no longer be eligible for funding after Oct. 25. Others criticize DoD for failing to realize how popular the program would be and making adequate provisions for it. “This is not the way to show military families that they are supported,” one blogger noted.
About $210 million has been budgeted for 2010 for the program, with an increase to $250 million for 2011. In subsequent years, officials are estimating a budget of about $190 million per year.
Educational opportunities for military spouses are limited. DoD should consider ways to restore this promising program to its original levels.
August 8th, 2010 at 4:13 am
In regard to “original intent of assisting spouses of junior service members in achieving portable careers”… This basically provides for 1st term service members. What about the spouses of those service members that have had to transfer 4, 5, or 6 times? There careers are more inclined to have been impacted far more than the first term families. This is a slap in the face to our senior service members “especially the ones who were previously approved and planned on the financial assistance”.